Julian Fellowes says Downton Abbey's end is not his decision

The ITV period drama writer was speaking to the New York Times about the show, which is a huge hit in the US, when he said that he didn’t own the programme any more.

Asked about the rumours that Downton would end after series six, he said: “It’s not really my decision. I don’t own Downton Abbey now. NBC Universal [which owns Carnival Films] owns Downton Abbey.

“So I could walk away, but I wouldn’t walk away. It’s too much my baby. It won’t go on forever – I’m not a believer in that. But I can’t immediately now tell you where the end will be.”

Julian also spoke about whether the show would ever continue past World War II and if it could still include the same cast.

He said: “For me, that would be a different series. Maybe people would say, ‘Oh my God, that’s baby George, grown up!’ But I don’t think it would be continuous, with Michelle Dockery with her hair covered with talcum powder.”

However, while Julian wouldn’t say when Downton Abbey would finish, he has in the past said he wouldn’t begin work on planned US series The Gilded Age until the UK series was over.

So there could be a hint in what he had to say about The Gilded Age: “I’m going to do the pilot this year. I’ve got a list of potential advisers, and I am a big, big fan of Edith Wharton and Henry James and that period of history after the Civil War — the Vanderbilts and the Whitneys and all of those people.

“As for adapting what I write for American audiences, American audiences have enjoyed Downton. I try and make TV shows that I’m going to want to watch. And when I’m reading it, I’m saying to myself, ‘Is this boring? Are you still enjoying this scene? Shouldn’t it be over by now?’ I can’t imagine my departing from that principle very far.”